Ftiday, May 2S, 1941
THE JEWISH NEWS
Women's Clubs
Orthodox Rabbis Answer
Criticism on Divorces
issue Statement Clarifying Position on Problem of Aguna
in Answer to Purely Commentary Column
in The Jewish News of May 14
Rabbi Moses Fischer, speaking for the Orthodox rabbis
of Detroit, has issued a statement refuting the assertions
made in the Purely Commentary Column of The Jewish
News of May 14 on the question of "conditional divorces"
issued by servicemen in order to prevent the plight of
Agunoth after the war.
To Honor Memory
Of Dr. Zhitlowsky
Stating that the charges made
in this column against the Ortho-
dox Rabbis is grave and that
"they deserve to be considered,
answered and publicly refuted,"
the rabbinical statement makes
Conference Formed Here to
the following declarations:
Arrange Meeting and Plan
Aim to Aid Aguna
Tributes for Leader
1—The statement issued by the
Rabbis on t h e question o f
A memorial committee to pay
divorces came as a "sympathetic
answer to the anxious plight and tribute to the late Dr. Chaim
outcry of many parents, young Zhitlowsky was organized at a
husbands and wives, many of conference held May 20. Repre-
whom know the desolation, agony
and hard fate of the Aguna whose
only choice in uncertain eventual-
ities is either to violate the im-
perative of religion or be doomed
after a few years of married bliss
to a life of lonesome solitude."
(Editor's note: An Aguna is a
wife separated from her husband
and being unable to obtain a Jew-
ish divorce "Get" or prove his
death is prevented from remarry-
ing.)
Rabbi Fischer writes that in
view of the rabbis' efforts to
solve the Aguna problem, their
action "should have been greeted
with the greatest satisfaction by
all parties."
The Modus
2—"As to the medieval nature
of Conditional Divorce," t h e
Rabbi states, "even if transacted
in 'secret,' it plays with the deep-
est source of human personality;
it (the rabbis' proposal) does
away with conditional divorce.
No divorce in any shape or form
takes place. The woman need
not have the slightest inkling of
the transaction. The modus con-
sists plainly in the fact that the
husband charges and authorizes
the Beth-Din and the Scribe that
in case he does not return after
the war is over within a certain
period of time, and if civil au-
thorities declare him as dead or
missing, he authorizes the Rab-
binical Court at his wife's request
to write the Get."
The Sanhedrin Proposal
3. Referring to the Purely
Commentary Column's proposal
that a Sanhedrin be established
as a central body to deal with
religious matters, Rabbi Fischer's
letter states that on the question
of divorces for Agunoth "the Or-
thodox Rabbinate was guided in
their action by the decision rend-
ered and by the modus inaugurat-
ed by the Chief Rabbinate in
Palestine, under the heading of
the glorious Rabbi Dr. Herzog.
The whole line of action was
patterned after the legal enact-
ments of the greater Jewish au-
thority—the Beth Din Hagodol in
Jerusalem."
A Mere "Formula"
Rabbi Fischer's statement also
declares:
"The only detail, which may
seem as casuistry in the whole
proceedings and against which
The News chiefly objects and
brands it as medievalism, is the
periodic renewal of the authoriza-
tion given to the Rabbi by the
serviceman as often as he visits
his home. But this authorization
is merely a routine formula given
to the serviceman that while at
home he has not invalidated and
cancelled the authorization he
has given previously to the Rabbi.
There can certainly be no hurt
and can cause no shock in sign-
ing such a 'formula.' "
At
Home Announcements
For Next Week's Issue
Announcements of At Homes
for Confirmands and Cortsecrants
for next week's issue of The
Jewish News must be in the
hands of the editor before 4 p.
m. on Tuesday.
HARRY KAMIENER
sentatives of local organizations,
i n c l u (11 n g landsmanschaften,
reading circles, I. W. 0. branches,
cultural societies and ladies aux-
iliaries, were present.
Harry Kamiener was chosen
chairman of the committee which
also includes Dr. Isaac Bennesh,
Aaron Rosenberg, Max Holtzman
and S. Lifshitz.
The conference decided to ar-
range for a mass memorial meet-
ing, with William Edlin, editor of
the Jewish Daily Day, as guest
speaker; to create a fund for the
planting of 1,000 trees in Pale-
stine in Dr. Zhitlowsky's memory
and to finance a room in the Len-
ingrad Hospital, through the Na-
tional Jewish. Council of Russian
War Relief, to be known as the
Chaim Zhitlowsky Memorial
Room.
Another conference will be
held soon to enlist the co-opera-
tion of the entire community in
the arrangements for the Zhit-
lowsky memorials.
Store Your
Out-of-Season
Garments
Detroit Women's Division of
the American Jewish Congress
will sponsor a shower on June 16
at Kern's Auditorium for the
benefit of the Congress Defense
Houses in New York, where
many servicemen are provided
with recreation. Such articles as
cigarettes, linens, blankets and
china will be accepted for this
shower. Mrs. Harry Dunitz is
chairman of the affair. She is as-
sisted by Mesdames Harry
Thomas, Samuel Katkin, Sidney
Sidell, Louis Goldberg, Aaron
Carlstein, Harry Coggan, Julian
S. Tobias and Robert Drew s.
* * *
Home Relief Society, at the
closing meeting of the season on
Monday, at the Jewish Center,
heard reviews of three best sell-
ers by Miss Dorothy Hagberg of
the Public Library staff. Mrs.
Samuel Arkin presented Red
Cross pins to members who have
served 50 hours or more. On
May 25, Home Relief members
were hostesses to the League of
Jewish Women's War Efforts
Committee. On June 14, mem-
bers will be hostesses at the USO
Center. Home Relief Society
sends cookies to the Red Cross
Hospital in Battle Creek. Those
desiring to make contributions
are asked to call Mrs. Barney
Newman, TO. 5-3600, or Mrs.
Maxwell Emmer, TO. 8-6162. On
June 10, the final board meeting
will be held at the home of Mrs.
Samuel Marks.
* a *
Eva Prenzlauer Maternity Aid
will install new officers next
Tuesday at King Fong Cafe, 11813
Dexter. Mrs. H. A. Fixler will
be installing officer. An afternoon
of games will follow. For reser-
vations call Mrs. D. Blatnikoff,
HO. 4472, Mrs. J. Rose, MA. 0178,
Mrs. S. Saxon, TO. 5-0323, Mrs. S.
M. Samuels, TR. 2-2281, before
May 29. The next meeting will
be held June 15 at the home of
Mrs. Louis Alper, 16516 Ohio.
* * *
Hebrew Ladies' Aid Society
will have a dinner and card par-
ty June 20, at 6 p. m., at Law-
rence-Dexter Hall. Mrs. J. Wia-
trak is chairman. Reservations
can be made by calling Mrs. P.
Shapiro, TY. 5-8574, or Mrs. J.
Ring, HO. 1391. A donation of
$25 was made to the soldiers' cig-
arette fund. The paid-up luncheon
and closing meeting of the year
Radio Repairs
Don'f Take Chances!
Page Eleven
will be held June 30. An Ameri-
can Flag was donated to the or-
ganization by Mrs. Helen Rosen-
thal. Nov. 30 had been set as the
date for the annual donor lunch-
eon.
* * •
Neugarten Sunshine Club,
meeting May 24, made a contri-
bution to the Serve - a - Camp
Project and to Percy Jones Hos-
pital for wounded soldiers. A
games party will be held June 16
at the Bnai Moshe. Mrs. Samuel
Rothstein is general chairman.
Proceeds will aid the group's war
efforts. Mrs. Rothstein, UN.
1-0522, may be called for tickets.
* * *
Young Women's Bicur Cholem
has decided to aid the Youth
Aliyah drive and has appropri-
ated a contribution. The paid-up
membership luncheon will be
held in June. The next meeting
will be held at the home of Mrs.
Beryl Harrison on Santa Bar-
bara Drive.
* * *
Jr. Home Relief Society will
sponsor a benefit theater party at
the Schubert-Lafayette on June
15. The play will be "Abie's
Irish Rose." Proceeds will be
given to handicapped and indi-
gent children. For reservation
call TO. 6-5659 or UN. 1-7647.
* * *
Bnai Moshe Sisterhood will
hold a card party at 8 p. m. next
Wednesday in the social hall of
the synagogue, Dexter and Law-
rence. Mrs. Joseph Grossman
and Mrs. Andrew Iczkowitz are
chairmen of arrangements.
* * *
League of the Mt. Sinai Hos-
pital Association has elected the
following officers: President,
Celia Walerstein; vice-president,
Ruth Applebaum; recording sec-
retary, Pearl Nusbaum; corre-
sponding secretary, Molly Moss;
treasurer, Gertrude Nusbaum;
board members, Bea Dworkin,
Dorothy Eizen, Bess Liefer, Mar-
ianne Purwin, Mildred Raskin
and Leah Silverman. Honorary
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Purity Chapter 359, O.E.S., will
meet Monday evening, June 7, to
elect a Conductress. On June 11,
a theater party will be held at the
Wilson. For tickets call Beatrice
Weisberg, HO. 3743.
* * *
Pioneer Women's groups of De-
troit have launched a campaign
to purchase $75,000 in War Bonds
for a Bomber in the name of the
organization. Since April 29, more
than $25,000 in bonds have been
sold. The drive, under the chair-
manship of Mrs. Adele Mondry,
will be continued until June 29..
Scheiller Drug Co.
Have yur radio re-
paired now — parts
may be unobtain-
able later. Satisfac-
tion guaranteed.
Each—Cash and Carry
past presidents are Henrietta
Hassoll and Mrs. David A. Gold-
man. The new officers will be
installed at a tea next Wednes-
day, at 8:30 p. m., at the home of
Mrs. David Goldman, 14046
Northlawn. Prospective members
are welcome. The installation
dinner and final meeting of the
season will be held June 16th, at
6:30 p. m., at the Olde Wayne
Club. Celia Walerstein is chair..
man.
• * *
Business and Professional We.
men's Auxiliary of Bnai Brith
will have a picnic June 6, at
noon, at the bathing pavilion of
Rouge Park. A hike and games
are planned. Members are to
bring their lunches. Call Frances
Caveler, DA. 3515, for reserva-
tions.
* * *
Detroit
Birmingham Grosse Pointe